RECENT MATHEMATICAL ACTIVITIES 461 



trary, thought is developed along these mathematical roads, and the 

 traveler finds continually new difficulties whose solution depends largely 

 upon those encountered earlier. In constructing these roads mathe- 

 matics is not seeking an intellectual monopoly in order to collect toll 

 from the rest of the intellectual world in succeeding ages. In fact, 

 in most of the newer regions the travelers are too few to encourage 

 such thoughts even if they were not intrinsically repugnant. 



There is, however, a considerable number of mathematicians who 

 are interested in constructing unusually attractive toll roads, especially 

 in those regions where travelers are most abundant. Whether the pros- 

 pects of tolls derived from small royalties constitute the best means 

 to secure improvements in our elementary text-books and whether this 

 system is apt to continue to be efficient are questions which present 

 many difficulties. There appears to be an enormous waste along this 

 line at present resulting from unfruitful duplication. 



The financial questions involved in mathematical publications have 

 doubtless much in common with those relating to the publication in 

 other subjects. The journals depend largely upon the universities and 

 the mathematical societies for financial assistance. Lately the American 

 Mathematical Monthly, a journal of collegiate grade, has received 

 financial assistance from more than a dozen colleges and universities, 

 and it has thus been enabled to make many improvements. The Annals 

 of Mathematics, which is a journal of a somewhat more advanced grade, 

 is being published since 1911 under the auspices of Princeton University. 



The large mathematical encyclopedias, mentioned above, are being 

 published under the auspices of the Academies of Gottingen, Leipzig, 

 Munich and Vienna, while various governments have been asked to 

 assume the expense of the publication of at least some of the reports 

 prepared under the general direction of the International Commission 

 on the Teaching of Mathematics. The Japanese reports are published 

 both in the Japanese and in the English languages; and all these 

 reports, aggregating already more than ten thousand pages, are for 

 sale by Georg & Co., Geneva, Switzerland. 



While mathematical societies generally support publication of ad- 

 vanced grade, they usually have other functions. In many instances 

 membership implies attainments of comparatively high order and hence 

 is attractive in view of the honor and exclusive privileges which it 

 involves. Eecently an international mathematical society has been 

 organized with the sole purpose of supporting the publication of the 

 complete works of the most prolific mathematical writer, Leonhard 

 Euler, who died in 1783. Each member of this society is expected to 

 pay at least ten francs annually until this publication is completed, 

 which is expected to require about fifteen years. 



Several years ago it was estimated that the complete works of Euler 



